rorkesdriftvc.com Forum Index


rorkesdriftvc.com
Discussions related to the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879
Reply to topic
RD painting on book on War Crimes, Genocide, and Justice
Alan
Site Admin

Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 1530
Location: Wales
Reply with quote
Someone drew my attention to a book called
War Crimes, Genocide, and Justice: A Global History
by David M. Crowe



http://www.palgrave.com/page/detail/war-crimes-genocide-and-justice-david-m-crowe/?K=9780230622241


Last edited by Alan on Fri Mar 30, 2018 5:17 pm; edited 2 times in total

_________________
View user's profileSend private messageSend e-mailVisit poster's website
The Scorer


Joined: 27 Nov 2006
Posts: 338
Location: Newport
Reply with quote
I haven't read it (nor had I heard of it until now), but chapter three is entitled "Crimes and Colonialism", so I guess that this is where we'll be ... ?

Surprised
View user's profileSend private message
Alan
Site Admin

Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 1530
Location: Wales
Reply with quote
I have been in contact with David M Crowe who kindly responded, saying that the decision was not his to use the painting:

The cover was designed in London by my publisher and presented to me as a fait accompli.
I do cover the Zulu wars in the book most briefly, but certainly not enough to warrant such a cover.


As we probably all imagined, it makes an attractive cover by which to sell books.
I'm not sure who has copyright for the painting or why they would have given permission for its use.


Last edited by Alan on Wed Aug 13, 2014 3:59 pm; edited 1 time in total

_________________
View user's profileSend private messageSend e-mailVisit poster's website
AMB


Joined: 07 Oct 2005
Posts: 921
Reply with quote
Alan,

The picture - as I'm sure that you already know - is in the NSW Art Gallery (http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/collection/works/735/), but I'm not sure if they'll own the copyright.

AMB
View user's profileSend private message
Alan
Site Admin

Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 1530
Location: Wales
Reply with quote
The Art Gallery of New South Wales tell me that the copyright to the painting is held by
Bridgeman Images in London. I've contacted them but so far they haven't responded.

_________________
View user's profileSend private messageSend e-mailVisit poster's website
peterw


Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 865
Location: UK
Reply with quote
It's a perverse use of an iconic image. Very poor editorial judgement.

Peter
View user's profileSend private message
Alan
Site Admin

Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 1530
Location: Wales
Reply with quote
I have now received a response from the publisher:-


Please allow me to introduce myself as the US-based history editor for Palgrave Macmillan: my predecessor, Chris Chappell was the editor for David Crowe's War Crimes, Genocide, and Justice: A Global History.

I recently received your email regarding your concern over Palgrave's choice of cover image for the book, the painting by de Neuville. I understand your dismay over this decision, though I can tell you that our design team chose it not simply for its dramatic impact but because also because Prof. Crowe does indeed discuss this battle within the book: there was an editorial purpose behind this choice. The image was carefully discussed and the design carefully planned by our team.

Again, I certainly do understand your concern and I also sympathize: I most likely would not have chosen this particular image myself. I can assure you, however, that this was a very careful decision made by my colleagues here.

Please do let me know if I can be of any further assistance.

Best wishes,
Kristin

Kristin Purdy
Editor, History
Palgrave Macmillan
175 5th Avenue
New York, NY 10010


I had to confess to not having read the book to assess the reference, and I'm now intrigued.

_________________
View user's profileSend private messageSend e-mailVisit poster's website
peterw


Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 865
Location: UK
Reply with quote
Alan

Thanks for the follow up and interesting that the author and current editor seem less than thrilled with the cover choice.

Peter
View user's profileSend private message
Alan
Site Admin

Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 1530
Location: Wales
Reply with quote
My conclusion is that the task was handed over to a designer and asked to make it 'shout out'.
I think it is well designed but it wasn't the right person to choose a related image. I don't think
any harm has been done, depending of course what the contents say.

I said to Kristin that we would call off the mass picket outside their offices.

_________________
View user's profileSend private messageSend e-mailVisit poster's website
AMB


Joined: 07 Oct 2005
Posts: 921
Reply with quote
RD was an interesting choice.

An attempt to maximize sales. To catch the buying public's eye. Maybe a UK/Commonwealth buying public would be [are?] less outraged by the use of RD than those in the US might have been [?] if pictures of My Lai (March 1968) (for example) had been emblazoned across the front of this book.

AMB
View user's profileSend private message
Alan
Site Admin

Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 1530
Location: Wales
Reply with quote
My 'ghost reader' has obtained the book and after an initial look at the book and makes the following observations.

On first glance through contents, specifically Zulu War related, it appears to cover the whole campaign
in less than two pages (74 and 75).

Mention is made of the nature of the Zulu ritual of cutting open the British dead, but also mutilation,
including a short sentence about 'the cruel fate of the little drummer boys, who were hung and
butchered'.

However, this is of most interest -

'After another battle at nearby Rorke's Drift, victorious British troops, aided by an NNC contingent,
captured about 200 wounded or exhausted Zulus. They bayoneted, beat, or speared the captured
Zulus to death because they were so short on ammunition'.


Anyone any thoughts on that?

_________________
View user's profileSend private messageSend e-mailVisit poster's website
Damian


Joined: 12 Aug 2007
Posts: 105
Location: Pietermaritzburg KZN
Reply with quote
Alan wrote:
I have now received a response from the publisher:-


Please allow me to introduce myself as the US-based history editor for Palgrave Macmillan: my predecessor, Chris Chappell was the editor for David Crowe's War Crimes, Genocide, and Justice: A Global History.

I recently received your email regarding your concern over Palgrave's choice of cover image for the book, the painting by de Neuville. I understand your dismay over this decision, though I can tell you that our design team chose it not simply for its dramatic impact but because also because Prof. Crowe does indeed discuss this battle within the book: there was an editorial purpose behind this choice. The image was carefully discussed and the design carefully planned by our team.

Again, I certainly do understand your concern and I also sympathize: I most likely would not have chosen this particular image myself. I can assure you, however, that this was a very careful decision made by my colleagues here.

Please do let me know if I can be of any further assistance.

Best wishes,
Kristin

Kristin Purdy
Editor, History
Palgrave Macmillan
175 5th Avenue
New York, NY 10010


I had to confess to not having read the book to assess the reference, and I'm now intrigued.


This sounds like a load of cobblers to me
View user's profileSend private message
Colin
Guest

Reply with quote
I've got this book, but have only glanced at various paragraphs throughout, and as you'd expect, it makes very uncomfortable reading. Fortunately, the author has refrained from including any photographs in the book, which if were there, I wouldn't read nor keep it in my collection.

Obviously the title describes what you should expect in the book, however, I only purchased from Amazon out of curiosity for why it had such an image on the cover. However, I would not have purchased it on any other occasion.

In conclusion, I feel the author is genuine in his attempting to present the controversial and ugly aspects of war, rather than for any suspect reason.

His notes are vast, taking up almost 100 pages.

Finally, the painting on the front cover should not have been used, and hope any future reprint, that the publishers reconsider greatly to have it changed to something more suitable for the contents
RD painting on book on War Crimes, Genocide, and Justice
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
All times are GMT  
Page 1 of 1  

  
  
 Reply to topic